1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a novel mode changing over mechanism for a tape player, and more particularly to a mode changing over mechanism for a tape player with a so-called reverse mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tape players are commonly constructed such that they can selectively establish a plurality of modes such as a play mode in which recording or reproduction onto or from a tape is performed, a stop mode in which the tape player is at rest and a high speed feeding mode in which fast feeding or rewinding of a tape is performed. Such selective establishment of any of those modes is performed by changing over the position of a tape feeding direction defining member such as an oscillating lever on which a pinch roller arm on which a pinch roller for being resiliently pressed against a capstan to feed a tape at a fixed speed is supported and an oscillating gear which is selectively engaged with one of a pair of reel bases to rotate the reel base in a tape winding direction are supported or by changing over the position of a magnetic head or the like.
The position of such tape feeding direction defining member or the like is changed over by a mode changing over mechanism. Such changing over mechanism is basically constructed so as to effect position control of various movable members such that, when a play mode is to be established, a pinch roller lever is moved to a position at which a pinch roller thereon is resiliently pressed against a capstan while a magnetic head is moved to a position at which it contacts with a tape and an oscillating lever is moved to a position at which an oscillating gear thereon engages one of a pair of reel bases, but when a stop mode is to be established, the pinch roller lever is returned to a home position at which the pinch roller thereon is spaced away from the capstan; the magnetic head is returned to a home position at which the magnetic head is spaced away from the tape; and the oscillating lever is returned to a home position at which the oscillating gear thereon is disengaged from the reel base.
It is to be noted that a high speed feeding mode is established normally by causing one of a pair of reel bases to selectively rotate, in a condition of a stop mode of the tape player, at a high speed in a tape winding direction.
By the way, most of tape players at present are provided with a so-called reverse mode, that is, constructed such that they have two play modes including a normal play mode in which recording or reproduction is performed while a tape is fed in one direction and a reverse play mode in which recording or reproduction is performed while a tape is fed in the opposite direction and one of the two play modes can be selectively established. Accordingly, a mode changing over mechanism for a tape player of the type mentioned must be constructed such that it can selectively take at least a first position in which a normal play mode is established, a second position in which a reverse play mode is established and a third position in which a stop mode is established.
A conventional mode changing over mechanism for a tape player with a reverse mode in some cases includes a mode changing over lever which is moved from and to three positions corresponding individually to the three positions described above, that is, a normal mode position in which a normal play mode is established, a reverse mode position in which a reverse play mode is established and a stop position in which a stop mode is established, and controlling means for controlling the position of the mode changing over lever. An exemplary one of such conventional controlling means includes a cam gear on which a cam element is provided for selectively pressing a control portion provided on the mode changing over lever in two opposite directions.
However, such conventional mode changing over mechanism of the type which includes a mode changing over lever and a cam gear as described above is complicated in construction such that means for selectively changing over a relationship between the cam element provided on the cam gear and the control portion provided on the mode changing over lever, that is, for changing over the relationship between a first relationship in which the cam element presses the control portion in one direction and a second relationship in which the cam element presses the control portion in the other direction, is composed of a large number of members. Accordingly, the conventional mode changing over mechanism is disadvantageous in that it makes the structure of the tape player complicated and besides miniaturization and reduction in thickness cannot be achieved and the production cost is high.